


your scar my scars

by Sin_Cognito



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underfell, Angst, Brotherly Relationship, Gen, Underfell Papyrus, Underfell Sans, Underfell Undyne, fanfic contest
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-30
Updated: 2017-09-30
Packaged: 2019-01-07 04:38:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12225918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sin_Cognito/pseuds/Sin_Cognito
Summary: Entry for the second fontcest fanfic contest by aryisgoingaway and nagisaheichou on tumblr. I chose theme 2 : ignorance.Papyrus is hit by a particularly painful realisation.





	your scar my scars

**Author's Note:**

> Papyrus is still rather young (14-16, 17 at most) and Sans is in his early 20. They're not together (obviously) but I won't stop you from seeing a blooming romantic relationship in here.

The Great and Terrible papyrus is pissed off.

Granted, he's often in a somewhat not good mood (usually because of his brother), but this morning's training with Undyne really was the last straw.

It's like she doesn't understand what it would mean to him being officially part of the royal guard, and not just a sentry (in training on top of that !). Come on ! Sans is a sentry ! Surely Papyrus deserves better than this ridiculous internship ! (that's what Undyne calls it but the skeleton knows that's just a "nicer" way to say he's worthless...)

In term of magic and row power, he's sure he surpasses most of the members of the royal guard. Maybe not Undyne, but take those two stupid guards always patroling in Hotland. What's the point of them always staying together ? While you can cover up so much more territory when you split up ! That's basic patroling protocole Well, that's just one more thing he'll have to teach his subordinates when he's in the royal guard.

All this thinking really is starting to give him a headache. He can feel his magic throbbing unpleasantly in his skull, particularly behind the scar in his right eye.

He's very proud of this scar. He has some on his arms, and a particularly nasty one on his left shoulder, but his eye scar is the one proof of his power and prowesses. That he's powerful enough to live in Snowdin, the lowest, poorest and most dangerous place in all the Underground. He deliberately chose to live here when him and Sans had to move out of the Capital so many years ago. He was still quite young but he knew he was already tough enough to live by himself. Even though in the end, he wasn't by himself because sans had selfishly decided to tag along.

Upon arriving in Snowdin, he had quickly understood that the toughest you looked, the higher were your chances of not getting dusted. Thus he was very glad he had this intimidatingly large scar covering half of his face.

Even though he got it because of an accident in the labs when he was young, and not in a terrible fight like he would tell anyone stupid enough to ask.

(But no one had to know the truth. And Sans had promised not to tell anyone.)

Strangely, it was also this scar that started it all : him meeting Undyne, who also had an eye injury, him wanting to fight her (there was no way they could both be the toughest eye scarred kid in the area), and then him seeking to surpass her when she got accepted in the royal guard. And now, barely more than 5 years after they first met, she's already Head of the Royal Guard, supervising Snowdin and Waterfall (and technically the Ruins too, but they don't have access so it doesn't count).

That same Undyne who used to grip his arm so tightly when they were young, because she was afraid of the darkest places in Waterfall. She could have left him alone but she just wouldn't buldge no matter how many times he shooed her away.

What a coward.

And now, she's in the royal guard and he's not ! Always screaming orders and insults at him during training ! Telling him he's not ready when he asks when he'll be admitted in the guard. Hmpf ! If she wants him to be stronger, she could just train him 24/7 ! He wouldn't mind.

Now Papyrus stomps his way through the snowy village, as he's heading to the forest. If Undyne won't train him, he'll use his time wisely by recalibrating his traps. Oh and while he's at it, he should probably check on Sans (or rather wake him up since he's probably taking a nap at his station). Once again, if being physically present at a sentry station is all that is required from sentries, papyrus more than qualifies for the job.

He arrives at Sans' station and, what a surprise, nobody's here. If his brother wants to sleep through his shift, he should at least be present to keep up the apprearances. The lazy fuck is probably sleeping at home. Has he ever given a thought about what would happen if a human were to come to the Underground ? Lucky for all of them, the Great and Terrible Papyrus and his deadly traps are ready !

"Oh my, what do we..."  
"...have here ?"

He's snapped out of his toughts by Sans' coworkers, the dog couple.

"Smells like..." Dogamy begins.  
"...bones." Dogaressa finishes.

Ugh. Another stupid couple who's always together while they could be sniffling the whole realm for humans. Papyrus admits they both have a well trained sense of smell that would do wonders if they just weren't always stuck together !

"Are you checking..."  
"...on your brother ? He left his post..."  
"...an hour ago."

"No kidding. And there I thought he had become invisible."

The two dogs frown at his sarcastic tone. He has to remember they're still part of Asgore's army, even if they're just replaceable sentries. Great. After bowing to Undyne, now he has to lick their mutty asses too. Sometimes he just can't help but dream about dusting every soul in the Underground to finally have a moment of peace !

And it's not even noon.

"Watch your tongue, bones." Dogamy threatens.

He can tell the dogs are pissed off by his attitude when they're not finishing each other's sentences.

"I don't have one, dog."

"Papyrus, let me give you a piece of advice." Dogaressa growls.

 

"Don't mess with us."

Papyrus is ((very) slightly) taken aback. That's the first time he's heard them talk at the same time. He might even consider thinking they're kind of scary.

And yet he can't help it.

"Well I have a piece of advice for you too. Go to fucking hell !"

Okay that wasn't the best punchline (nor the wisest thing to say), but at least, it perfectly conveys his feelings. The dogs howl (are they really calling the rest of the pack out just for some lame insults ?) and rush at him but too late, he's already near Snowdin's entrance. He knows they won't dare to attack anyone in the village without a witness to what happened. It's almost a shame. He wouldn't have minded playing the innocent victim of the two mean dogs who suddenly attacked him for no reason. No one would be able to tell who's lying and the dogs would get a punishment for disorderly conduct.

Still he doesn't take his time in going home.

As expected, Sans is home. The first clue is his pair of red sneakers thrown about near the front door. The second clue is the leather jacket he's always wearing when he's outside, now keeping company to his dirty sock on the floor. The third clue is Sans himself, lying ungracefully asleep on their sofa. If papyrus wasn't in such a bad mood, he might let him snore for... 30 more seconds.

Too bad.

 

"SANS ! WAKE UP !!!"

Surpised isn't the right way to describe the rush of adrenaline seemingly cursing through Sans' system when he hears Papyrus' booming voice. His left eye flashes red, his body convulses and his hand squeezes the bottle of mustard he was drinking before falling asleep. The condiment pours onto his red sweatshirt.

"WOW fuck ! Boss !"

Papyrus hasn't moved from his position and just patiently waits for his brother to completely wake up before getting really mad at him.

"please Boss dont do that again. you re gonna kill me !

"May I then suggest that YOU FUCKING DO YOUR JOB PROPERLY ?!"

"wow calm down Boss !"

"SANS, IF YOU DON'T GO TO YOUR POST THIS INSTANT... !"

"OKAY ! fuck ! okay just... just stop screaming. im goin okay ?"

Sans is already one shoe on when Papyrus notices the huge mustard stain on his sweatshirt. Is he seriously planning on going out looking like this ?

Sans opens the door.

He's seriously planning on going out looking like this.

"SANS ! STOP RIGHT HERE !!"

"uhh WHAT now ?!"

"you will not put shame to my reputation by going out in this state ! Do you even realise how disgusting you are ?!"

Sans pauses for a moment, the rolls his eyelights and teleports to his room, Papyrus assumes. No more than 2 minutes later, he hears a muffled "FUCK !" and his brother's room door bursts open. A half naked Sans gets out, furiously stomps accross the hallway and enters papyrus' own room.

What. The. Fuck.

Papyrus doesn't lose time joining Sans in HIS room, only to find the smaller skeleton rummaging through his closet and throwing his clean shirts and sweaters left and right.

And Sans is shirtless. It's the first time he's seen his brother naked. The first time he's seen...

"this was my last clean sweater ! i dont have anythin else to put on !"

For the first time he sees Sans' ribcage. His spine. His bones. For the first time he sees...

"sorry Boss but im gonna have to borrow one of your shirt."

Papyrus doesn't hear him anymore.

Because for the first time he sees Sans' naked body. And he notices.

 

the scars

 

 

How could... Why does he... Why is he COVERED. IN. SCARS ?

 

There isn't a single bone spared. He has more scars than he has unscarred bones. Some overlap others. He's even missing a rib. An. Entire. Rib. Papyrus wonders how Sans isn't secreting dust everytime he moves. And they look so old.

He probably wouldn't be able to heal them enough to make them disappear now.

 

And there he thought his right eye scar "looked cool".

And there he thought his left arm scar was "nasty".

And there he thought he was...

Great... and

 

terrible.

 

 

"Papyrus ?"

Sans' voice calling out his name snaps him back to reality. His brother's eyes are now devoid of anger and full of worry.

"are You okay ?"

"Sans ?"

He oh so lightly brushes one scar.

"yeah ?"

He can't look at Sans.

"Why didn't you tell me ?"

His eyes are glued to his hand.

"didnt tell You what ?"

And his hand is glued to the scar.

"About the..."

How could he have never noticed the...

"the scars ?"

He lifts his head up, searching for Sans' gaze, but the other's just staring at his feet.

Like he does when he's sorry.

Or guilty.

 

Ashamed.

 

"its all in the past Paps. You were too young to heal me anyway."

He crushes Sans in a hug.

How many years have passed since he last hugged his brother ? That simple, easy show of affection. How could he have forgotten how it feels ?

And suddenly he understands.

Sans being alive is the very proof that he's "tough enough to live". He doesn't need to show his scars. He's an orphan 1 Hp monster with an alive younger brother.

Papyrus now wishes he hadn't been so harsh with his brother when they were young and Sans tried to heal him, and he would resist because he wanted the scars to last...

And suddenly he knows.

Why the two royal guards don't split up when patroling in Hotland.

Why Dogamy and Dogaressa are always together.

Why Undyne wears an eyepatch.

 

He almost misses Sans' quiet words.

"im sorry Pap. i do realise how disgusting i am."

 

His crouched position offers a better view at Sans' spine. He can see so many scars there too. Even if they're blurry through the tears.

 

******************

 

One month later, at the end of their training session, Undyne announces to Papyrus he's accepted in the royal guard.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic Requests Constructive Criticism, so drop the comments ! Tell me everything that's wrong with it, everything that's good, any misspelling or anything strangely written. Once again, English is not my first language so the more you point out, the more I improve.


End file.
